Merseyside Jewish Community Archive at Liverpool Record Office

The Merseyside Jewish Community Archive, collected by the Merseyside Jewish Representative Council, is housed at Liverpool Record Office in Liverpool Central Library.

Archive Description

Liverpool Record Office holds the archives of the Merseyside Jewish Community from the mid 18th century to the present day. The records are of tremendous significance as the Liverpool community is considered to be the first organised Jewish community in the north of England, and until the mid-19th century it was the largest Jewish community outside of London. Liverpool’s Jewish community established their first synagogue around 1745 and there has been a continuous Jewish presence in the city since then. The archive holdings reflect the vibrancy and activity of the community which has contributed to Merseyside life and national and international organisations. The Jewish archive is also one of the largest community collected archives held in the Liverpool Record Office. In 2025, it was the 50-year anniversary of when the community first started depositing documents to the Central Library in 1975.

One of the most extensive collections in the Merseyside Jewish Community Archives is the records of the Old Hebrew Congregation. The earliest archive of a Jewish organisation in Liverpool is found in this collection, namely the ‘Register Book of the Jews in Liverpool’ which records births, deaths and marriages from 1804 to 1816. The register also includes retrospective information on members of the community from as early as 1722. The 1789 indenture also provides the full history of the development of the Upper Frederick Street synagogue and burial ground. The records of the Old Hebrew Congregation capture the development of the community from the 18th century and give an insight into the life of many of the early members of the Liverpool Jewish Community.

In 2024-2025 a funded joint project of Merseyside Jewish Representative Council and Liverpool City Council’s Libraries Service took place to sort, catalogue, preserve, and make available to the public additional material that has accumulated in the community over the last 20 years. The collection now celebrates 280 years of the history of the Liverpool community. The goals of the MJRC as regards their archive are to act as a facilitator between the community and the local authority and to represent civic, cultural and religious Jewish communities in Merseyside. The archive now consists of around 200 collections, mostly representing an organisation: a synagogue, welfare, professional, philanthropic, social, cultural, or political group.

Access Information

The Archive is open to the public and can be accessed through the public search room in Liverpool Central Library. Opening times are available on their website.

Readers will need to be a member of Liverpool Libraries and can join on the day with proof of address. We require at least two days’ notice for access to the collections. Requests for access and information can be made to: archives@liverpool.gov.uk.

Online Accessibility

The archive catalogue is available online.

Street Address

Liverpool Central Library
William Brown Street,
Liverpool,
L3 8EW

Jewish archives – Liverpool City Council

Liverpool Wedding Photo

The Clumpus, Finestone & Bennet families • Merseyside Jewish Community Archive

Galkoff’s Kosher Butcher

Original Family Butcher’s Shopfront • Liverpool Museum

9 Aug 2024

Collection Encounter: Liverpool Record Office

Collection Encounter: Liverpool Record Office